Hello Muffy!
I hope you had a wonderful holiday season! My husband and I are already planning our first sailing trip from NYC and I was wondering if you had any recommendations as to which towns we should hit along the New England coast. We are looking for a small collection of large and small seaside towns with plenty to do once we are anchored. I wish you the best and hope you'll have a fantastic 2012!
When you are starting in New York City, there are many lovely places to go.
I wouldn't want to miss these beautiful New York ports:
- The Sand Hole near Oyster Bay, NY which is a bird sanctuary;
- Eaton’s Neck near Huntington, NY which is also a bird sanctuary;
- Sag Harbor, NY.
Then, up the Connecticut Coast, there are:
- Sachem’s Head, which is unusual, and a good launching spot to see The Thimble Islands (although there is not much to do ashore);
- Essex, CT (Essex is way up the Connecticut River. Sailing up the river is problematic because the narrow channel forces boats to motor. Which means Essex is an hour or so up, which makes it a less likely place to suggest as lovely as it is);
- Stonington.
- Watch Hill – But the approach is long;
- Newport;
- Marblehead – But very far from NYC.
- Edgartown, MA on Martha’s Vineyard;
- Chatham, MA on Cape Cod (After Chatham, sail around the outside of Cape Cod, but absolutely wait for the best weather and start the trip at the crack of dawn.)
Finally, here are a few good restaurants along the way where you can dock a boat:
- Stratford, CT – Knapp’s Landing
- New London, CT – Captain Scott’s Lobster Dock (A very tricky approach by land, however!)
- Noank, CT (Mystic, CT) – Abbott’s Lobster in the Rough
1930's Beaufort Scale from the archives:
2. Is the Bermuda Bag too small?
Dear Muffy – I just love your Tartan Terrier Bermdua Bag and my Mom said she used to have tons of those. But I was wondering, it seems small, how much do you use it?
Thanks! I love your blog!
I just used the Tartan Terrier Bermuda Bag at several holiday parties and it was the perfect size.
3. Defining "Preppy"
3a. Miss Muffy-- Thank you for this website. My ex-husband(of course we are still friends) told me about your website and I love it. It is the world I grew up in and love to read about it. You're on the money with your information. I do wonder...can someone learn to be a preppy or are we just born into it. All my best.
3b. Hi Muffy, I have been mulling over a few thoughts recently regarding preppy style, and thought I would pass them on to you to see what you (and possibly your readers) think. Being an “Old Englander”, I have been trying to figure out some of the sartorial fineries of North American preppy style. One inescapable conclusion I have come to is that is linked inextricably to the ocean. Boating, knots, whales, flags, all appear in preppy fashion and culture. Whilst not necessarily considering myself preppy, I had considered my own style to contain preppy elements. I wear blazers and sport coats, OCBD’s, neckties, corduroys and chinos. I prefer to wear shoes than sneakers. However I realised recently that I do not have that connection to the ocean, nor does the bulk of my clothing. My style is more driven by the woods.This could be due to my current local, a long way from any ocean, or possibly my upbringing on farms in rural England. For example, rather than buying a peacoat, I went for a mackinaw cruiser. I prefer camp mocs to boat shoes, my embroidered cords and ties have ducks, pheasants and deer, not whales, lobsters and anchors, I wear a field watch and not a dive watch....I could go on. What I am wondering is, is this woodland driven style still preppy? Is it a subculture of prep? Can a person have preppy style without the ocean connection? Thanks in advance for what, I am sure, will be wonderful insights. Best regards,
3c. Hello Muffy, How are you? Hope all is well? I just wanted to tell you that I`m a big fan of your blog, and I love your style. I`m not kidding when I say I aspire to be like you someday. My question is I`m an african american, 16 year old girl, who is an aspiring prep. Do you have any advice for me. I understand that most people feel that this is impossible, as the term prep usually signifies WASP`s... I live in Canada. Thank you for taking the time to read this email. I really do appreciate it.
3d. Mrs. Aldrich, How is Preppy North different than Preppy South?
3e. Love what you write about, but hate the term Preppy. What should I do?
My thoughts:
3a. Anyone can adopt it. For many, the greatest accomplishment of life in many areas is to, in the sentiment of Graydon Carter, "eventually become what you always pretended to be."
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| This outfit, from today, is incompatible with nautical or pink and green themes. |
3c. I have received variations of this question from many people from many cultures and backgrounds. I hope no one would feel excluded from anything here for any reason. I would similarly suspect that people who wanted to would use this blog as a starting point or calibration point (a mid course correction), but then evolve their own style for what worked for them, and then to, at some point, completely own their look and make it theirs regardless of what anyone else thought.
3d. I will leave that as an open question for anyone with an opinion.
3e. I appreciate and often echo the concern. As I wrote previously, in my situation with this blog, the only thing more awkward than using the term "preppy" would be not using the term. But outside of this space, I use adjectives such as "classic" or "New England."
51 comments:
Love your response to 3c. In your answer you make clear what it means to be "preppy" or "WASP"
I’m so glad this came up. This is something I’ve wrestled with often, given my modest background. I confess I’m very self-conscious about it when encountering those who are “to the manner born.”
A wise person once suggested I look at it this way: Paris Hilton was born into fortune and went to the best prep schools money could buy. I attended public schools and have worked as a civil servant for over 20 years. But at the end of the day, which one of us is “preppier”?
It’s often been said there’s a fine line beyond which the art of preppy mimicry becomes too studied and affected. But the very existence of the OPH makes a certain amount of affectation almost inevitable. If people are sincere about those styles and values and don’t use them as an excuse to be obnoxious, then race, background, and economic status shouldn’t matter, and they should be encouraged. After all, there are far worse examples to follow.
Your Bermuda bag is terrific, Muffy! I don’t think I’ve seen one like it in 30 years.
Just love Muffy's tartan Bermuda bag! If the Tartan Terrier people are following, we can't wait to see the launch of your other online products.
John - I beg to differ that Paris Hilton (who only ended up earning her GED after going through SEVEN schools including one for troubled teens) went to the best prep schools money can buy! She may have gone to some of the most expensive prep schools, but none at the level of an Exeter or an Andover, and none for any reasonable length of time. In any case, despite the early meaning of "prep," I would argue that merely attending a prep school doesn't make one prep... a prerequisite for prep is some degree of educational ambition and engagement. Dropping out and getting a GED doesn't seem to fit into that.
(Have you read True Prep? The ridiculous Pantheon of Prep includes pretty much any celebrity to ever attend a private school, including Kim Kardashian, who is most certainly NOT a prep.)
@Anoynymous 2:59 -- "Best" was probably not a good choice of words on my part, and that only reinforces my point: money can buy a lot of things, but it can't buy values, a way of being, or teach people how to be decent human beings. And I'm very much in agreement about "True Prep." The lists in OPH had far more worthy role models.
Preppy North vs. Preppy South was answered by Muffy so diplomatically! It is so hard to differentiate the two as seasons and lifestyles are SO different. One could make the WASP vs. prep argument here, as well as the way history changed the lifestyle of both regions of the country (Civil War among other things). There are sailing and field/hunting styles in both areas of the East Coast. Even the major cities seem so different, although in the South the Colonial-era cities have many similarities with Northern port cities. I don't think there is a definite answer to this question either!
Is there a difference between Northern Preppies and Southern Preppies? JMO, but everything down South is a bit over-the-top and not as authentic as New England. When I think of preppy, I think of practical simplicity (even at the most elegant evening affairs), slightly rustic, always involving the ocean/nautical/nature and very New England. However, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery and I don't believe Prep is a club of exclusion (as that would involve a lack of graciousness). After spending a significant period of time at a New England boarding school (with students from all around the country and the world), I would say that those from New England seemed the most Preppy initially...while others joined the ranks by the time they had graduated. Some are born Preppy and their breeding implies that.....others seem to evolve over time.
As southern prep, I'll try to address 3d, just a bit. Southern "preppy" does have historical traditions that are different from those in Northern "preppy" as you would find it in New England. That being said, the former takes its cues in many areas from the latter.
The historical difference starts in the mid 1600s with where ancestors landed. I've spoken before on the Daily Prep how my own family, while there were some relatives in New England earlier on in that century, were primarily established in Maryland circa 1675. My direct lines aren't New Englander, although I believe I have one or two ancestors that are. My most famous ancestor was once Governor of Maryland for the King (after having been banished there by the King himself in the first place!).
There is a definite divide between New England, the Mid-Atlantic States, and the South, but Maryland has always tended more South than anything, as was shown in Maryland's confederate sympathies in the Civil War. For those that did settle in Virginia and the rest of the southern colonies (North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia) these individuals created their own cultural practices. I would still say that they looked to New England for certain cues, but there is a reason why Washington DC was established in the Virginia/Maryland area.
As those along the Eastern Seaboard started moving west, those in the South tended to stay in the South, giving rise to plantation owners, well to do landowners, and businessmen across Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, Louisiana, Arkansas, and of course Texas. A branch of my family moved to Texas in 1836, lured by the possibilities open to them in the brand new Republic of Texas. They acquired larges tracts of land in what is now Eastern New Mexico and Western Texas, and it didn't take long for the former Americans to become Americans once again with the annexation of Texas by the Union. I am descended from this branch of the family, although I still have many many cousins in Maryland.
Prep is practical. It derives from American sportswear and a sense of wearing that which fits the activity. Compared to English sensibilities, one could almost call it "laid back" or "relaxed refinement." Given the South's different climate, I believe Southern Preps have always taken from Northern Preps whatever works, but adding styles or material types (such as seersucker) which works better for hot, humid climates. Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Arkansas, Georgia, Virginia, and Maryland all have access to the sea. Texas has a considerable coast line. As such, Southern Prep has also looked to North Prep for good ideas on what equipment to use when sailing, but has, of course, again, modified it for the different types of shores and waters available.
Southern Preps usually have their own prep schools/private schools, and their own great universities. There is an intentional pride that prevents many a Southern Prep from seriously considering the Ivy Leagues, although plenty of Southerners, and plenty of Southern Preps, do go on to attend these institutions.
A negative difference, at least in my personal experience, is where as slavery was outlawed in in the North (and plantation farming was unsuitable in New England to begin with), it became an institution tied to wealth and prestige in the South. To this day, there are, sadly, remnants of this racial privilege to be found among certain segments of the Southern Prep set, and it can sometimes be overt, if not outright blatant. Every subgroup has its dark side, and Southern Prep is no different. I'm glad to say that these remnants are becoming increasingly harder to find, and I don't believe it is simply because they have become better at hiding. I believe they are truly dying out faster than they can replenish themselves.
I think that despite the cultural differences caused by where ancestors landed on the East Coast, there is no significant nor overwhelming differences between Northern Preps and Southern Preps. The accent is different, the styles more suited to a different climate, but the love of beach and ocean, of fine dining, and of proper manners is the same. Southern Prep and Northern Prep have always taken what they wanted from each other, to use how it is possible to do so, even while trying to always one up each other. It's a friendly competition, and we have far more in common as Americans, than we don't due to being from different regions.
Such wonderful questions and such wonderful answers!
As to 3e, "traditional" is also a word that can describe clothing. It is not the same as "preppy" but the two categories would have a lot of overlap. A preppy wardrobe might include novelty items and attention-grabbing colors that a traditional wardrobe would not include.
If I had to define "preppy," it would be the group of people, often born, but nowadays also married into or who've adopted as their chosen culture an affinity for the vigorous traditional pastimes once the primary domain of the WASP upper class, virtually all of which predate World War II. Sailing, birdwatching, riding, the more genteel types of shooting sports as well as skiing and racquet sports come to mind. Nothing heavily mechanized, gadget-dependent, "trendy" or even very noisy. All have roots in early Anglo-America.
Clothing styles born for the boat, camp or country estate but which also look smart worn in town; of high quality, materials and styles predating the advent of mass-produced synthetic fibers and conspicuous brand logos (see date above!) are their "uniform."
As a group they are well-read, well-educated, and frequently well-travelled, but they are never pedantic show-offs about it. They are comfortable in their skin precisely because they have NOTHING TO PROVE . . . their sporting life is the spirit of PLAY, not the self-righteous anxious striving or conspicuous consumption that has become the "mainstream" activity today.
While the keepers of the flame of pure WASP culture were once the "St. Grottlesex" schools of New England for most of the 20th Century, people who've had that elite boarding school experience are now a tiny subset of Prepdom; more so yet those like Muffy and myself descended in part from the earliest settlers of New England.
Anyone can just try on the clothes, but that does not make one truly Preppy. What makes a "real one" is not your bloodline so much as how well and sincerely and consistently you embody the old-fashioned values and graces inherent in noblesse oblige.
BTW--Off Topic but . . .
DOWNTON 2 STARTS TONIGHT!!!
:)
As I read the comments what I think is least appreciated about "prep" or "WASP" is their manners. I grew up in New York in the WASP-iest of places and worked at their private clubs and had WASP friends whose parents invited me on their sailing trips ... and the most lasting impression I have of WASPs is how they always tried to put their guests at ease. They were always conscientious about including you in the conversation and making you feel comfortable. I didn't know I grew up WASP/prep (I didn't have anything to compare it to) until years later when I picked up the Official Preppy Hand Book at a used book store. What an enlightenment. Athough it was written tongue in cheek, The people in the book were the People I grew up with. Everthing from the types of cars they drove to their thrifty attutudes to their home decor. The characteristic that impresses me the most is their sense of ease and comfort with who they are. There is never talk about money or anxiety about getting ahead. That would be so bourgeois. Whenever there is talk about professional pursuits it's never about making money but rather the opportunity to do something challenging, interesting or novel. A person's manner of dress is probably the least relevant of all the WASP/Prep qualities.
- By the way John, being kicked out of seven prep schools is the prepiest thing I've ever heard.
Great answers!! Thanks for the insightful post!
I love your bag, Muffy! And I've always felt that southerners weren't exactly preppy, but more there own culture. I just don't think the word fits in properly, particularly because the majority of them do not go to prep schools.
@Grace the majority of Americans in any region do not attend prep schools.
Even for those of us who did attend private institutions, I think we would tend to consider a preparatory secondary education to be the least important aspect of the lifestyle. There are plenty of highly affluent areas in the South where even the public high schools, due to area property taxes, are nearly indistinguishable from the private ones.
I did not attend a private institution for high school, as I chose not to, but I did attend private institutions up to that point. My high school has undergone significant change since I graduated given the changing demographics of the area in which it was located, but at the time, it was majority white, upper middle class to upper class, both teachers and students were from prominent landowner families (for some teachers, teaching was not a financial requirement as much as it was something to pass the time in the community), and a good section of the students had vehicles, many of which were European. Aside from the lack of dress code, I remember being quite disappointed that my perception of "public school" turned out to be a fantasy. I saw no difference between my private institutions and my public high school.
The area is significantly different now, as is the high school, and affluence is not as uniform as it once was. Such was the aspirational quality associated with moving into the area.
With regards to 3C, you sound like a lovely young lady who is on a wonderful path. Muffy is a wonderful mentor -- just remember to make it your own!
When I think of what is truly Prep, I think New England. I agree with @Grace that the South has it's own culture (some of which is very preppy-oriented). Many of the elements of "preppy" seem to imitate the elements of England (attire, dogs, birds, horses, civility, etc.). Certain states are grouped together and called NEW England for a reason. Preppies from New England imitate many things British....and people from the South imitate many things from both New England and England (although, I don't see New Englanders imitating the South nearly as much). As I said before, imitation is the most sincere form of flattery. The South and New England are very different (as a previous poster alluded to)....and viva la difference. DOWNTON ABBEY is finally here!!! Gotta run....
Love the responses here.
My 2 cents worth for question 3d. No difference in attitude, just in dress. Southerners tend to wear more madras and Northerners tend to wear more plaids. Just kidding, if there is a difference, I don't know what or where it is.
Downtown Abby was fabulous. So worth the wait. 2 hours....bonus!!!
I just wanted to tell you how much I adore your blog.I have read your site for awhile but have never commented on how intelligent,well-versed and knowledgable you are on so many different topics.Keep up the fabulous work..I am a 49 yr.old preppy from the great state of Alabama and love hearing all about your life....Hope you have a wonderful 2012.....
I just noticed an error in my first set of comments. Arkansas should be Alabama. Alabama has access to the Gulf of Mexico. Arkansas is landlocked. I regret the error (as we say in journalism when we print a retraction).
Puritans and Cavaliers, that's the difference between North and South Prep. New England had prep schools and the South had military schools. The South was settled by second sons of the English gentry and the North settled by merchants.
As for the old North vs. South debate I would say the biggest difference I have seen is in the women. I think Southern preppy women are more feminine looking. Their hair, make-up and nails are usually done. They tend (at least as I have observed) to wear more dresses and skirts. The Northern preppy women tend to be more androgynous in her style, minimal or most likely no make-up and more sensible hair. I think either way is nice if you are being true to who you are. I don't notice as much of a difference in the men.
I must say that I disagree with Binker73's statement that southern preps imitate New England. Maybe that is true historically (although I sort of doubt it) but southerners look inward and, in my experience, rarely value what is north of DC. I attended an excellent girls school in the south where it was considered very strange to look at northern colleges. One or two girls went Ivy League every year, but people didn't necessarily aspire to that, and the other girls weren't envious of such an accomplishment. On the other hand, being a Jefferson Scholar (UVA) or a Morehead Scholar (UNC) really got everyone talking. Now, I'm not necessarily defending what some would call narrow mindedness (I now live in a coastal village in New York, and I realize that New England is such a beautiful place, and not one to be missed) but stating that I think this is the reality of southern prep culture.
On the flip side, southerners are often serious Anglophiles, so I totally agree about the imitation of England. Kentucky and VA horse country are prime examples of that.
I find women who are described as "Southern Prep" to be Southern with a few preppy motifs, which I would describe as just "Southern".
Answer for 3E: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLZGa19pfW8
3d: I embrace both northern and southern prep traditions we're all on the east coast and all grown up to together steeped in classic traditions! No need to separate the two in my opinion!
If you live in the north, explore the south and vise-versa! I have, and been enriched by it!
I am very much enjoying the comments. At the risk of opening a can of worms, does anyone have thoughts on East vs. West? I come from a family with New England roots, but we have lived in both the south and the west. I can only speak for myself and my family when I say we have carried our culture with us wherever we've gone, but I would be interested in the observations of others.
Bitsy
I wanted to address the question of "woodland-driven" prep. But first... "I would never wear pink on a boat, as it would clash with the red on any flag." Seriously? Don't you think that's taking things a BIT too far? You've got photos of Sarah Vickers sailing, wearing a light pink shirt, and she looks lovely and appropriately-dressed for the occasion.
Regarding the woodland-driven prep...think, for example, Dartmouth College. Dartmouth is not close to the ocean, but many of its students are extremely preppy. Others are sort of "outdoorsy preps." (Think Outing Club-types.) Dartmouth even has a lumber jack team which competes against other colleges! Certainly preppy does not have to have anything to do with nautical elements, although many "inland preps" summer in coastal regions. Preps can spend all of their time in one "preppy milieu" or in several, with appropriate dress for each, as Muffy suggests.
P.S. I have almost that exact Bermuda bag, given to me probably 25 or 30 years ago when I was just a kid. My aunt and uncle were in the fashion industry and made it for me. I need to dig it out.
@Anonymous 6:22 - Boats also tend to have a lot of other red, such as on the PFDs, and orange, for emergency survival suits. This is simply my (personal) sailing palette of choice, but by all means wear pink if you want.
And Sarah Vickers always looks lovely.
- Annonymous 6:22:
First, I, for one, am so glad Muffy focuses on the little details and thinks about her environment. It is what makes the pictures on her blog so wonderful.
Second, while I agree with Muffy that Sarah Vickers looked lovely when they all went sailing together last summer, I am not sure Sarah's skirt and wedge shoes (see pictures on beach) were a paragon of sailing attire. I know I couldn't move in a boat wearing them (but she is much younger than I am!).
I found a great item at L.L. Bean for those who, similarly to Annon 6:22, want to ask Muffy: "Seriously? Don't you think that's taking things a BIT too far?" Check these out: Plush Velous Pants! Yeah, Baby!
Re the southern vs northern pred discussion, I think that in the age of mass marketing and communication, the differences are largely marginalized. A couple of thoughts. (Brooks Brothers, for example, is readily available in the south now)
As Kinon adeptly pointed out, Southern Prep has adopted Northern Style to Southern Climate; less wool, tweed and flannel vs. more seersucker, linen, lightweight wool.
Woods influenced (south) vs Water influenced (north).
Lobster (north) vs Shrimp (south)
J Press, Norman Hilton (North) vs. Sid Mashburn and Hapesel. (south)
Boaters (north) vs Panama's (south)
Scotch vs. Bourbon
New favorite designers: Michael Bastian (North) Billy Reid (south)
Rugged work/outdoor brand adopted as a daily wear: North - LL Bean and Lands End vs/ South-Dickies and Carhartt.
Having said that, visit Ole Miss on Saturday afternoon during the fall and you will be hard pressed to tell the difference between the tailgaters there vs. Harvard or Yale.
Regards - John B
Wow, John B., what a great comment.
.....aaahhh 1/9 10:45AM....ANDROGYNOUS.....I believe that one word encapsulates exactly what I was trying to say. I think that New England WASPS (and to some extent northeast PREP ...and even as far south as Virginia) emulate the various minutiae of British country life....and that tends to be more rugged and practical and not quite as showy. As someone else stated, climate may have more to do with the British tweeds, plaids and woolens of the Northeast vs. the more dominant floral prints/seersucker of the South. I do think that Southern Preps are more into the make up, floral prints, and very stylized hair for everyday endeavors ...and it is a more feminine prep look....although, not exactly what I think of when I think New England, WASPY prep.
wow. i have loved all the comments on this post. such an interesting debate!
my mother and grandmother were from upstate new york; my grandfather and his family, from boston. (my father was a texan!)
i never heard the term "preppy" until i was grown. i did hear words like "lady; gracious; good manners; quality; modesty; frugal" thoughout my childhood and younger years.
to the young woman from canada who sounds like she is already a "prep," i would say what makes you so is your innate sense of refinement. it's speaking in a well-modulated voice... it's treating everyone with respect, regardless of their schooling or background... it's an easy friendliness that is not pretentious or ostentatious. and it's being comfortable wearing pearls and dressing simply and inconspicuously for whatever the occasion!
there is a coarseness in so much of society today... it's always refreshing to see any young person want to emulate or adopt the good common sense, appreciation of quality, and refined manners of the so-called "preppy lifestyle."
I live in the Bluegrass area of Kentucky around many horse farms one of which the Queen boards her horses. Horse people here are very "Tweedy" and look like they just stepped out of a Barbour ad. I think the word "Prep" doesn't fit so well as "WASPY". It's more inclusive to all regardless of ones monetary worth.
Best comment: Rachel (January 9, 2012 9:35 AM) about Puritans and Cavaliers. I attended Cornell undergrad and Duke for grad school and that sums up he difference between northern and southern prep very well.
The idea that southern prep is an imitation of northern prep is no longer true, if it ever was.
RE Puritans vs Cavaliers--a great book about the settlement of the US and why we are the way we are is American Nations: A History of the Eleven Rival Regional Cultures of North America by Colin Woodward. After reading this and shepherding my son through a summer school e-course of American History before 1877, that explanation makes perfect sense to me.
Southerners did not copy northern prep. (My father went to UVA and did not want to go Ivy!) Some of the aspects of southern prep are not copied from the north but are better described as being american.
I went to a prep school in NY and the term ANDROGYNOUS describes northern prep exactly.
WOW loads of great comments and content , I just try to design and find nice companies that represent my sense of style , I like the term traditional, and kind of shy away from the use of "preppy", but that said the word has its place! I live in fl. but will always consider my home ,Ct. esp. the southern Ct. coastline where I am from , it simply defines who I am no matter where I am located. As Far as my Bermuda bags , ty for all the nice words, good taste never goes out of style......
Anonymous 12:48 ....I hear you on your dislike of the term "copy". I didn't mean it in a negative way (though obviously, it was taken that way), as I feel Northern Preps copy the British in many ways. As I said, copying is the sincerest form of flattery. IMO, there are many similarities between Northern Prep and Southern Prep. UVA is a beautiful school. One of my children went there for an interview and loved the school. She did wind up choosing an "Ivy" because the rowing program was better (albeit, UVA has a great rowing program as well!). Having said that, for some reason, I didn't feel like I was truly in the South while visiting UVA. I haven't traveled extensively throughout the South (basically Charleston, Savannah, Nashville, Mobile and Raleigh)...Florida just feels like a melting pot of people who happen to live/vacation in a state which is in the South. All the locations I have mentioned felt much more authentically Southern. It feels as though Virginia might be a place where Northern culture and Southern culture meet.
I apologize for having offended you (Anon. 12:48pm) by implying that the South copied the North with regards to Prep attire. I am not an expert on the subject. Another poster stated things in a much more diplomatic way...in saying that Southern Prep and Northern Prep are both authentic...yet. they are culturally different in certain areas. I do stand by my statements of how Southern Prep women and Northern Prep women are different....and YES...the word androgynous (in style of dress) most accurately describes Northern Prep Women (and to some degree WE copied that from the British...and I hope they are flattered). We have to be more practical in clothing choices as the weather can be brutally cold in New England.
Speaking of practical and weather-related clothing, I am thrilled that LL Bean is listening to Muffy and other consumers and that they have brought back their traditional Anorak. I was about to buy the blue Patagonia one this week....but, now I can save some money and get the navy from LL Bean. Thanks! :)
May I just chime in for a spot I love for the Maine sailing ideas? I love the Cod End up in Tenants Harbor. It sits right over the water and you can stock up with supplies, gas the boat etc, but, sitting on the deck at sunset with a beer and lobster dinner while looking out over the harbor is just heaven. It's not too crowded. If one happens to stay for a day or two, the lighthouse is nearby and that's a real treat too. You might even spot Jamie Wyeth out at dinner.
About being a prep, hey, I think if we are all here enjoying Muffy's blog, I'm sure we all have a bit of prep in us, right? Nuf said...
To binker73 from Anon 12:48:
Gosh, that was a gracious response! I'm not offended. Obviously some crazy southerners (like myself!) get a little fiesty (and irrational) about anyone hinting at a desire to be like northerners. It's a hard habit to break, even after being up north for a while. And yes, you are absolutely right to stick by your comment about women's styles and the need for practicality in the northeast.
My husband and I both attended UVA and I have so much to say on that subject that I think I had better stick to one or two brief comments. You are correct that there is a huge cultural divide in Virginia between the "Northern Virginia" area (DC suburbs) and the rest of the state. That plays out at UVA, where you have a lot of NoVA and northeastern students, as well as a lot of Richmond (which is very southern) and deep south students. Charlottesville is also an attractive retirement spot for northerners, which makes the town a very interesting mix.
I second the remarks made about the upper boundaries of the coastal states. It would be interesting to read a history of the regional shifts in who identified with the North and who identified with the South at what times.
For example, my great-grandmother, who is described as having been a "professional southern lady", made her debut in BALTIMORE, a place that most could not (currently) associate with sweet tea and hospitality, let alone southern drawls.
Anon 12:48 here again (I need to get a name)in response to CR. You make an excellent point about MD, which is an interesting study. Maryland was a conflicted place leading up to and during the Civil War and there were many pro-south citizens who crossed into VA (which, along with much of the "upper south", was also conflicted about the whole deal- remember that's how we ended up with West Virginia) during the war. Really, the logistics of the state seceding would have been complicated since DC sits in the middle of it. Baltimore itself is interesting because it played a real role in the domestic slave trade (and the building of slave ships), while also being home to a large population of free African-Americans. Again, conflict.
But I think there was a lot of social overlap between Maryland and Virginia and I think Baltimore and Maryland's Eastern Shore both have quite a bit in common with Tidewater Virginia. I doubt there is much difference between the "old" families in either place. I think a lot of the confusion regarding boundaries really comes back to Northern Virginia, which has just completely turned into its own thing.
(Sorry, probably more history than anyone wanted.)
Oh my gosh! I have been posting as Anonymous 12:48 instead of 10:47, which is who I am! Apologies to everyone. And now I'm creating a name. So sorry again.
:) Anonymous 10:47/12:48 ....do let us know what you posting name is...so we figure out who you are.
It appears some are going by their real first names. I chose Binker, as it is one of my favorite childhood poems. I think that my next doggie will be Binker...lol.
Has anyone else who has been following Downton Abbey fallen in love with the Yellow Lab(actually almost white...she looks like a British Lab)?
TGIF.....
I am originally from Arkansas, and something my mother always taught me was that the true definition of a lady was one who always made others feel at ease.
Then in college, I was exposed to Brother Dave Gardner who said, "Love your enemies and drive them nuts."
There is a connection there.
I would love to hear about your lovely engagement ring shown in the picture with the Tartan Terrier bag. I have seen that you also wear a simple gold band. What are your recommendations on engagement rings and wedding bands?
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